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Mountain bender, day 3

I almost feel like the sun is taunting me now: "Good morning. I'm out again. What are you going to do today?" And I have to pull my sore legs and blistered toes out of bed and squint at its gorgeous light: "I can't waste it. I guess I have to do something."

Today was Heinzelman Ridge. It's perhaps the most prominent ridge of Juneau's skyline, with jagged cliffs that loom over Lemon Creek and the Mendenhall Valley. The views up there are striking.

I am so enamored with these vistas.

Fall colors are already erupting on the tundra.

On a Wednesday morning I have to adhere to my strict work timeline, so I turned around at an arbitrary point on the ridge rather than working my way to a peak. I ended with, according to GPS: 3,740 feet of climbing, 7.5 miles, about four hours.

I thought of a poetic way to describe my stroll over Heinzelman, but I don't have much time for this blog post. Still scheming ... still planning ... still sore.Meanwhile, back in the rainforest ...

12 comments:

It is difficult to express in words how helpful your blog is,in inspiring all of us 9-5 er's to find a way to get outside and enjoy this amazing planet. You are perfoming an amazingly kind deed, by taking the time to write and photograph your adventures, and by honestly describing your own personal struggles in getting yourself outside everyday. All I can say is thank-you.

Just curious, do you ever get nervous hiking alone? Maybe you were but your just used to it and more confidnet now?

I ask because I was biking around in one of the larger state parks in my area earlier this week, and I got creeped out after just a short while of being so alone. Do you have any suggestions of how to get over that fear? (I think some of it is from my mothers paranoia that I'm going to happen upon some crazy guy hiding out in the forest).

This is in reference to the exchange we started in your Cairn Peak comment section. I googled "Discover Southeast Alaska with Pack and Paddle" by Margaret Piggott and found many copies available. I highly recommend it, although I'm sure you could add some good descriptions to her Juneau trail section. I just love this book, and have found it to be remarkably accurate.

So as long as you're on a bender, you should unlink the guy from your website. His fumblings aren't that interesting, and I bet it would do you good. The high road's great and all that, but maybe you've spent enough time there.